Tangledtober
by newdream1005
Summary: A series of drabbles for Tangledtober, they will pretty much all be New Dream content, not because I don’t love the new characters in the series, but because I enjoy writing about my otp more. I don’t own Tangled or Tangled the Series.
1. Chapter One - Origin

When did Eugene originally fall for Rapunzel? Was it love at first sight, at first adorable giggle, at the moment his own name fell from her honest lips with the glow of the warm light from the campfire bathing her face? Or was it simply a compilation of events over the course of three magical days?

Eugene would be lying to himself if he didn't find Rapunzel stunning when she emerged from the shadows, timid yet completely sure and determined. He was tangled among the tendrils of her hair, but his initial panic and confusion dissipated when he locked his amber eyes with her vibrant green ones. Her pastel colored dress hung perfectly on her figure. And sure, Eugene (Flynn at that time) would admit his intentions were superficial, but even then, her quirkiness and outlandish methods of interrogation were definitely intriguing.

So when he was forced against his own will to take this bizarre teen to the kingdom to see an annual lantern demonstration, yes, he was annoyed, frustrated he couldn't get his profit sooner, but a little bit of him inside knew this may even be a little fun. Who exactly was this gorgeous, emotionally unpredictable wacko?


	2. Chapter Two - Magic

Her magic was gone. She lowered her face dampened with tears to his lifeless one. He was deathly pale, and Rapunzel would have given anything to be able to use her light she possessed minutes ago and fill him with it. She was just waiting for her dream, her Eugene, to blink open his caring eyes, reassuring her that he was just playing a horribly cruel joke on her.

She always knew her magic was special, but she truly didn't realize the gravity of it until it was gone, as she was rendered helpless, watching his life slip away inches below her face.

A tear landed on his cheek, a small light twirling underneath his skin unbeknownst to her. And as Rapunzel was losing all feeling due to the awful combination of grief, shock, and panic harboring in her magicless body, a warm wind played among her short chestnut locks.

She unwillingly lifted her head away from Eugene's lifeless form, suddenly encompassed by a magic she had never witnessed.

Light, not a glowing light like the one initiated by her healing incantation, but a warm, almost tangible, light spiraled into different directions around her. It was so distracting that she hardly noticed the flower blooming from Eugene's wound.

A six pedaled flower covered his whole chest, illuminating his form and filling Rapunzel's bleary eyes with nothing but light, a stark contrast to the dark, gloomy setting she found herself in only moments ago.

Her mind swam in oceans of confusion and hope as the blinding light from where his wound had been slowly faded away. What could this have meant?

She frantically tried to push back the hair out of the corner of her left eye as she rested her eyes on Eugene's face once again. She cradled his head in her right hand, hoping and wishing for any sort of reaction out of him.

To her surprise and relief, he slowly blinked open his eyes, the ones Rapunzel had already been missing dearly, and a breath shuddered from his barely open mouth. His gaze shifted to the girl cradling him, as he hesitantly muttered her name, hoping and praying that this was not a dream, but he was actually alive in the embrace of this girl he just sacrificed his life for.

Her eyebrows quirked in surprise, and her face was one of pure surprise and delight, as a shuddery noise escaped her mouth. Eugene pridefully noted that it wasn't too dissimilar from the expression she bore when the lanterns came nearer to her the night before as she clutched the front of the boat; was that look one of adoration?

Rapunzel could hardly believe that her name had just fallen from his lips, and with an immense amount of hope, she whispered his name back to him, a one word question asking for confirmation that she wasn't dreaming herself, a question that would forever change her life if she was lucky enough to receive a response.

In pure Eugene fashion, he summoned all his wooing power to greet her, asking, "Did I ever tell you I've got a thing for brunettes?"

His face gave way to a smile which punctuated his question, as it only increased when Rapunzel's face literally lit up with her trademark smile and enthusiasm, which he had not previously seen in this enormity (this was definitely saying something all things considered).

Her entire being bubbled with joy, elation, as she backed away only to be able to hug him with as much power as she could muster. She dove into him, vowing to never let go of him. She may have lost her magical powers gifted by the sun, but she was completely unwilling to let go of the magic she now shared with him, her new dream.


	3. Chapter Three - Crew

After the grueling trek up the spire (which felt like weeks in the company of Calliope), Rapunzel was so grateful to be reunited with the rest of their group: Hookfoot, Shorty, and of course, Maximus and Fidella! She had missed the humor Hookfoot and Shorty provided, the protection and familiarity of Max and Fidella, and the overall group dynamic of her makeshift road-trip family. She missed the hilarious conversations between the guys which most of the time didn't make sense to her, but luckily, Eugene would always explain later during their time alone so she could share in their laughter. She missed observing the budding romance between her two favorite horses, which she and Lance were still trying to convince Eugene of. And she missed her room in their mobile home, especially her bed after a night spent on the rocks outside of Calliope's moth infested museum. But there were many positive takebacks from their two day quest, and not just the tangible things like the third piece of the scroll or a couple of Calliope's magic scarves.

Though at times each member of their traveling party may upset, anger, or annoy each other in some way, after two days with the likes of Calliope, Rapunzel, Eugene, Lance, and Cassandra realized how fortunate they were to be surrounded by people they genuinely tolerated and most of the time enjoyed being around. Sure Eugene could be unbelievably conceited and a ginormous irritation, but Cassandra realized that at least he's honest, open-minded, and self-deprecating on some but mostly rare occasions. And Calliope's claimed authority on all subjects made Rapunzel and Cassandra realize that coming across as always knowing better can be extremely annoying and exclusive. And though he loathed to admit it, Eugene realized that Calliope's aggressive leading nature wasn't too far from himself within the Forest of No Return, reminding him to value humility and openness.

These important lessons, these intangible things, this time away from familiarity, all strengthened the bond between this unorthodox family and helped reform the characters of each individual for the better as they approached the more challenging portion of their quest in search of the meaning behind the black rocks.


	4. Chalter Four - Little

The little smattering of freckles laid upon Rapunzel's nose is one of Eugene's favorite features. They are the little sun kissed spots which reinforce her connection to the sun itself. And just like the sun, Eugene enjoys, more than he would care to admit, peppering kisses all along her skin around her nose and underneath her eyes.

It happens when he finds her outside painting something in her journal. She'll be making observations about the world she had only previously looked out on. She immerses herself in these new sights, smells, sounds, and feelings, trying to convey this new myriad of sensations within the pages of her journal. She'll be so engrossed in her work that she just faintly picks up on the brown leather boots belonging to Eugene as they approach her. Only for Eugene does she actually tear her eyes away from the pages.

Eugene is never able to suppress his smile as he sees her propped against the tree with her knees bunched underneath her and her toes peeking out from under her dress, biting her lip in determined concentration as she tries to perfectly depict something she has just discovered. And when she hears him coming up to her, she'll lower her journal and give him a smile so bright that it can only belong to her. And with unabashed excitement, she'll reveal what has captivated her, making the new leaf discovery or ladybug with new spots sound like she has just discovered the fountain of youth.

He'll smile, but not at her new discovery like she believes, but rather at the refreshing view of life she gives him in all her adorableness. He lowers himself against the tree, slowly placing a kiss on her cheek, which switches off her excitement for a brief moment as she slightly blushes, closes her eyes, and gently leans into him. He'll try to think of something suave to say, but it usually just comes out in a soft tone as, "Hey Blondie."

Nevertheless, this simple two word phrase accompanied by the loving look in Eugene's eyes makes Rapunzel's blush even more intense. She'll typically try to recover herself and turn back to her work, asking him how his day has been going. She quickly wraps herself back in her painting, but this time she lays against Eugene.

He will wrap his arms around her torso as she paints, a gesture telling her he has missed her even though they saw each other only two hours ago. He'll silently watch her artistic ability matched with scientific precision take form on her pages. But quickly, he'll find himself more entranced with the little freckles on her cheeks intead. He'll try to count them, but by the time he reaches around 22, Rapunzel has turned her attention towards him, with a questioning look washed over her features.

She wonders what could be on her face, did her green paint somehow end up on her cheek? Or did Eugene realize that she was getting chubby, too, just like her Moth-, Gothel had told her? She'll raise her hands to her cheeks, trying to feel around for anything, but Eugene will place his hands over hers. He'll move her hands away, saying, "why are you trying to hide them from me?"

 _Them? Who is them?_ She'll voice these internalized questions just above a whisper to him to which he will reply, "your freckles."

She exhibits a questioning glance once again, asking him with her eyes, _why do you care so much about my freckles?_ Gothel used to tell her they were imperfections, taking away her beauty, so why did Eugene smile when he was looking at them? Was he making fun of her for how ugly they were?

To her surprise, he simply leans in and starts nuzzling them. Rapunzel stays motionless, a little unsure as to the meaning behind his sweet gesture. Was it out of pity?

He senses her uncertainty, leaning back so he is nose to nose with her. He answers her silent question claiming he loves them, that he finds them adorable. But to reassure her, he starts kissing all over her nose and cheeks, making her laugh at the tickling sensation. Her journal sat aside, now abandoned, as Eugene lays her back tickling her sides. She feels him laugh and smile with every little kiss that lingered on her sun kissed skin.

These little stolen moments, with little kisses, upon little freckles undoubtedly were characterized as so much more to Rapunzel and Eugene than just "little."


	5. Chapter Five - Adventure

**I'm so sorry for my time away; I now plan on finishing all 31 prompts even though October has passed us. Your comments have sparked the writing fire within me, so I honestly can't thank you enough!! I hope you enjoy the rest!**

 **Also, Happy 8th Birthday Tangled! Seriously so beyond grateful for my favorite movie ever!!**

Eugene used to only reserve the word "adventure" for daring escapades to steal jewels or escaping young ladies' homes with her father on his tail. But now, Eugene goes on much different types of adventures, yet the thrill factor is still the same.

When the caravan stops either to stock up on supplies, rest Max and Fidella, or make some repairs, Eugene will go on adventures with Rapunzel into the nearby wood, exploring new terrains. Boy would Flynn be cringing at this characterization of "adventure."

But for Eugene these so called adventures with the love of his life were just as exhilarating. It was most likely due to all of the enthusiasm Rapunzel poured into each new discovery, Eugene swearing there was more excitement in her smallest, minuscule freckle than in Cassandra's whole being. Seeing Rapunzel literally manifest into sunshine when she climbed a tree or simply looked towards the waiting horizon was something Eugene could never possibly tire of. However, not all of these adventures were associated with good memories.

After the caravan left Vardaros, Rapunzel worked on her journal in a window seat, recording the events alongside Quaid and Vex. Eugene didn't want to distract her, so he didn't say anything but went to occupy the other window seat across the room from her. Lance was keeping Cass company, much to her displeasure, navigating the horses, while Hookfoot and Shorty were napping. When Rapunzel was putting the finishing touches on her journal entry, she noticed Eugene across from her, turned to look out the window.

She happily put her journal to the side and bounded over to him. Taking him by surprise, she plopped herself on his lap and placed an enthusiastic kiss on his right cheek. He snaked his arms around her waist and responded, "hey beautiful," with a smile that Rapunzel noticed didn't quite reach his eyes. She then brought her left hand up to stroke his right cheek, and asked how he was. He responded that he was great, for he was holding a princess in his arms. And while she laughed slightly with a little blush spread across her cheeks, she had a feeling that something was eating at Eugene, probably the same thing that was looming in the back of her mind as well, Staylan.

She had asked Eugene about Staylan and their past after the wedding and after they had brought back Quaid, but Eugene always found a way to avoid talking about it. Rapunzel was getting more upset, but she wanted to respect Eugene and trust that he would come and talk to her when he was ready.

Rapunzel didn't want to upset Eugene, but this didn't stop her from trying to approach the subject of Staylan, especially since she thought opening up would help him as well. She removed her hand from his face and wrapped her arms around herself, a common gesture of hers when she was feeling insecure. When Eugene saw this, he softened, never wanting to see her self-conscious or unsure, so he tightened his hold around her.

And although Rapunzel felt him, she didn't gain any confidence because she knew he wasn't going to be happy. She avoided his concerned gaze as she asked just above a whisper if they could talk about his and Staylan's past. She sneaked a timid glance at him, and he had a clenched jaw accompanied by closed eyes. He avoided her face, as well, when he responded, with a strained, "Rapunzel... I can-I'm just-just not ab-I just can't do that yet."

Rapunzel knew the last thing Eugene wanted to do was upset her but, unfortunately, knowing that still didn't stop her hurt feelings from festering inside her. Did he not trust her? Why didn't he feel like he could open up to her? Or does he actually _love Staylan?_

Right as Rapunzel was about to question Eugene, the caravan stopped. Rapunzel quickly scrambled off of Eugene towards the door, needing to be away from Eugene so she wouldn't say something that she would regret later. She exited the room, telling Cassandra that she was going to go look for a new patch of flowers to paint as she sprinted into the forest. Cassandra didn't suspect anything because that was just typical Rapunzel. However, Eugene still sat inside, even more upset that he had once again hurt and disappointed Rapunzel concerning the Staylan issue.

The truth is coming across Staylan and the Baron, was extremely unsettling to Eugene. He had almost lost Rapunzel, he had vowed to keep her safe, had vowed to never leave her. Yet, his past jeopardized his plans for the future. He felt extremely insecure because he lost Rapunzel rather easily. And while he had been black mailed into proposing to Staylan in the first place, that past with her could still upset Rapunzel. And ever since Staylan had questioned why Rapunzel would be with the likes of him, Eugene had been questioning his value and worth. Rapunzel should be with someone who was worthy of her, who could actually keep her safe, and who didn't have a past that could interfere with her future. Eugene wanted what was best for Rapunzel, the love of his life, yet he didn't know how he could function without her.

Eugene got up from his seat in search for his princess, to which he learned from Cassandra that she sprinted into the nearby wood. He made his way in the direction that she had fled. Eugene knew that he had to confess his feelings of uncertainty after seeing how upset Rapunzel was with his cowardice. After what felt like hours of walking, but was actually twenty minutes, Eugene heard sniffles from an upcoming clearing that was covered with daisies. There, with her face buried into the daisies surrounding her, Rapunzel was curled up in a fetus position as her body tremored in the aftermath of a breakdown.

Although Eugene was utterly heartbroken at the scene in front of him, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked surrounded by the white flowers. He quietly muttered her name in a remorseful tone, and she quickly turned her head in the direction of his voice as she broke down again at the sight of him. She immediately started apologizing for upsetting him, as he came closer to her, getting down on his knees.

Eugene was quick to stop her from apologizing as he reached out for her. She rose up onto her knees and nestled her head into his chest as he circled her with his arms. He spoke into her hair that he should be the one apologizing for all of this as his arms steadied and comforted her in his embrace. He apologized for being unable to voice his feelings and for her resulting insecurities because of his fear. He told her that the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her, that he wanted to protect her, to love her, to cherish her, and spend his future with her, but when his past came back to jeopardize them he became so scared because he realized his past will always put Rapunzel in danger if she's associated with him, whether reformed or not. He told her that she deserved someone who could protect her, someone better than him. He finished this confession with a down-trodden expression, making him look completely broken and vulnerable.

There was a moment of silence before Rapunzel surprised him by taking his breath away with an unparalleled passionate kiss. She poured into that kiss all of her love and adoration for her reformed thief as well as all of her uncertainties, letting his quick response to the kiss melt all of her insecurities away. She attempted to reassure him of his worth by tangling her hands into his hair, yanking him impossibly closer to her. After their own little eternity spent kissing, unwillingly, they broke apart, foreheads pressed together. Their eyes met, and Rapunzel was happy to see that the smile had fully returned to Eugene's eyes. And in the heavy breaths mingling between the very little space between the two, there were promises of love and commitment, the dissipation of insecurities, and the joy of another adventure.


End file.
